Seven Nation Army
by Kaia Milligan
Summary: Billie Mae Gonzalez didn't owe the world anything. What had the world done for her, anyway? So why was she being expected to save the one thing she didn't care for? —Set in the first Avengers.—
1. Chapter 1

_"I have seen things you wouldn't believe! I have lost things you will never understand!"_ -11th Doctor; **Doctor Who**

* * *

 _4 Years Earlier_

* * *

The sirens in the building were going off. Staff members were running, trying to gather as much data and information as they could before fleeing. What else were they supposed to do? A loud explosion could be heard, powerful enough to make the building shake and cracks to split the walls and ceiling. The staff members continued running, hoping to get as far away as possible. Another explosion, only closer. Security guards—those who were brave enough to stay—shoved their way through the crowds of running people, standing at the entrance of each hallway, their guns aimed in the direction the explosions were coming from. Another explosion rang out; smoke billowed out, debris raining down heavily. When it cleared, a figure appeared, looking at the security guards in such a way that made them flinch.

The guns stayed aimed at the figure, though it hadn't gone unnoticed that the guns were trembling minutely from the guards' fear. When word had gone out that their experiment had escaped—rampaging throughout the compound—a panic had ensued. Anyone involved with the experiment's progress was aware of the strength of her power. What she had been doing, explosions here and there, were warnings. She was holding back.

"Project Gonzalez, stand down," one of the guards ordered, his voice trembling.

Their guns started violently shaking, startling the guards so intensely that they unconsciously let go. The guns flew up to the ceiling. Lifting one of her arms, the guards went flying with the slightest flick with her wrist. The sounds they made when they came into contact with their surroundings was almost sickening. Flicking her wrist again, the ceiling started cracking, chunks of it falling onto the ground. Waving her hand downward, the entire ceiling fell.

Gonzalez held her hand up again, stopping the dust and debris from coming in her direction. Curving upward, as if some invisible shield was surrounding her, the debris from the collapsed ceiling settled close to a foot away from where Gonzalez stood. Sending out a wave of energy, she checked the guards' bodies to make sure they weren't still alive. When she detected a faint heartbeat from one closest to her, she found a piece of broken glass from the broken overhead lights and stabbed it through his body. Gonzalez didn't want a single soul left. Turning, she left.

For eight years, Gonzalez had been in the mercy of countless scientists and doctors, getting poked and prodded, being forced to endure experiments no person—human or otherwise—should be forced to go through. All Gonzalez wanted was for them to pay for what they did to her. For everything they intended to do afterward.

She was going to make sure every single one of the bastards who kept her in the compound understood just how thoroughly _pissed_ she felt. Gonzalez was going to make sure of that.

* * *

 _Present Day_

* * *

"Mae, how's Mackenzie doing?" Looking up from her work, Mae smiled. Ashe, one of Mae's coworkers, stood near her desk, a smile on her face. Mae—or Billie Mae, as her full name went—lived in Georgia with her four-year-old daughter, Mackenzie, with Mae working as a receptionist. Being a receptionist wouldn't have been Mae's first choice as a job, but it was the best one she could get. Not to mention that, after some hardships and having to take care of a newborn, Mae knew she'd have to figure something out quick if either of them were going to survive.

"She's doing good, Ashe," Mae replied, "thanks for asking."

"I heard from Kendall that Mac turned _four_ last week." Ashe hopped up and sat on Mae's desk. Needless to say, it irritated Mae a little. It wasn't that she didn't get along with Ashe—things were good but professional between them—it was just Mae didn't really like Ashe's company a majority of the time.

"Yeah, Mac's four now." Mae tried keeping her tone light but curt, hoping— _praying_ —Ashe would get the memo.

"What'd you do for her birthday?" Ashe asked.

"Had a mini celebration," she responded. "Look as much as I'd like to talk about my daughter, I'd like to get my work done."

As polite as Mae was being, she was really holding herself back. Thankfully, Ashe was sitting at an angle that wouldn't allow her to see Mae's computer screen flickering, showing the strain Mae was enduring to stop herself from losing her temper. During most days, Mae managed to keep herself under control, but for some reason, she just had an awful feeling boiling inside of her and it was making her restless and a little irritable.

"You're _always_ working, Mae," Ashe exclaimed. "You need to get out more, girl. You're young! Go have fun."

Mae's shoulders tensed, her body feeling as if it were about to snap. "If I didn't have a four-year-old at home to take care of, I'd consider it," she responded, her voice tight. "Being a single mother has responsibilities, Ashe. I don't want my daughter getting any wrong ideas."

 _Right_ as Ashe was about to open her mouth, Mae's computer screen cracked, the sound—accompanied by some other sounds, similar to something short-circuiting—combined with the sound of the screen cracking, making both women jump.

"What the hell was that?" Ashe exclaimed.

"I don't know." Mae's voice was tight, holding back any other emotions that were trying to leak out. Without a moment's hesitation, Mae sent out a wave of energy, sending it into Ashe's subconscious. Pushing in instructions, Mae made sure to wipe out the little conversation they had and put in some false memories before sending Ashe on her way. It was the best Mae could do at the moment.

Once Ashe was out of sight, Mae stood up from her chair and stretched her lower back.

With the wave of her hand, she disabled the nearby security cameras before sending out a wave of energy to every person she'd come in contact with since starting her job. She'd get Mackenzie out of daycare, erase the memories of all the workers there, and then Mae and her daughter would have to leave.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Is anyone confused on this chapter? If you are PM me or leave a review and I'll clear it up as soon as possible. Otherwise, tell me what you think of this first chapter. What do you think of the character[s] so far? Leave some constructive criticism if you think it's needed.**

 **MCU isn't mine.**

 **Happy holidays, everybody!**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	2. Chapter 2

_"I get it. I get it. I know how the world works, OK? And when it comes from the heart, everyone for themselves. Right?"_ -Harley Quinn; **Suicide Squad**

* * *

Mae kept a steady pace. She made minimal to no eye-contact with the people around her; instead, she kept energy around her, detecting whether or not the people walking by were possible threats to herself or Mackenzie. The way Mae saw it, _everyone_ had the potential to be a threat; but she had to pinpoint exactly which person out of the hundreds of people coming and going would evidently put her life in danger. Or put Mackenzie's life in danger when she ended up with her mother. For four years, Mae had managed to keep herself and her daughter safe, and she wasn't planning on it changing any time soon.

It was odd, really. In the four years since Mae had left the compound—escaped, rather—she hadn't encountered anyone who would be considered "threatening". Mae kept track of each person that came into her life; doing a scan on their memories to see if they were truly who they were making themselves out to be. It almost felt too good to be true. That had been where Mae's foreboding feeling had stemmed from—the "too good to be true" lifestyle. All the people she'd worked with adored Mackenzie, they appreciated Mae's hard work. Mae imagined herself being calm and finally having the life she wanted. But she _wasn't_ calm and the life she envisioned seemed too forced. It wasn't at all real, yet.

But, for some godforsaken reason, Mae's foreboding feeling seemed to have overwhelmed her. While it was easier to control on most days, for some reason, she just felt that feeling—that unwanted sensation—override every circuit in her brain. It may have been some kind of old instinct she unknowingly pushed aside after years of normalcy, or it was just Mae being paranoid; either way, she just couldn't take it anymore. She and Mackenzie managed to live in Georgia for as long as they had; which was an overall improvement from when Mae first left the compound.

When Mackenzie's daycare came into view, a sense of relief washed over Mae. Nothing looked out of place. Everything seemed OK.

Entering the daycare, Mae quickly walked over to where Mackenzie was and scooped her up. The four-year-old, who had been in the middle of drawing, let out a surprised screech before she realized it was her mother.

"Mama, what're you doing here?" Mackenzie's big blue eyes looked into Mae's brown ones. "I was in the middle of drawing."

"I'm sorry, baby, but we've gotta go," Mae said. "I got out of work early today! Isn't that great?"

Before they could leave—and before Mackenzie could say anything else—one of the daycare's employees, a nice young woman named Winnie, came around the corner. "Miss Mae!" Winnie exclaimed. "I wasn't expecting to see you so soon." Winnie was a very respectful woman. She loved her job at the daycare, treating each child that came in like her own.

"I got out of work early and forgot to call," Mae exclaimed, forcing a short laugh. "I just came to get Mac, that's all."

"Oh, that's fine," Winnie exclaimed.

"Thank you for watching Mac," Mae said, giving her most friendly smile Winnie's direction. As she was turning to leave, she pushed out a wave of energy to the other people in the room, erasing their memories of Mae and Mackenzie. Not only that, but sent out enough energy to short-circuit the cameras they had in the daycare.

 **. . . .**

One thing Mae didn't like was the constant questions Mackenzie had on their way to their apartment. Mae knew that her daughter would ask question upon question about what was going on, but Mae was in no mood to be answering so many.

Not long into their walk back to their apartment building, Mae stopped and threw a sharp look Mackenzie's way. "Look, I get you have questions," she said curtly, "but mama's not really up to answering them right now, OK?"

"But why?" Mackenzie exclaimed.

"Mackenzie Lucille, if you don't stop this right now you'll be in trouble, do you understand me?"

A spiteful pout came across Mackenzie's face, but she didn't ask anything else. Whenever Mae got close to saying her daughter's full name, that was when Mackenzie knew to stop.

As they continued walking, Mae tried sending out energy to detect any threats. It was a little difficult while she tried holding her daughter, but she managed to do a little multitasking.

She was only a couple blocks from the apartment building, all she had to do was get herself and Mackenzie there in one whole piece.

 **. . . .**

"OK, kiddo, we're home." Mae and Mackenzie made it to their apartment without any trouble. Mae had said hello to a few of the other residences she knew before hurrying to her door. When they did make it, Mae paused. There was a presence in there; it made Mae's blood freeze over and boil at the same time. Thoughts were racing through her mind. Briefly looking at Mackenzie, who didn't seem to notice the obvious hesitance in her mother quite yet, Mae felt her entire body tense. Depending on who was behind the door, Mae knew that whatever actions were made would be difficult. Mackenzie would undoubtedly be caught in some sort of crossfire if it was something horrendous. Maybe it was someone who was connected to the compound, trying to gather information.

"Mama, what's wrong?" Mackenzie asked, looking up at her mother.

There was a long pause before Mae decided to respond. "It's nothing, sweetheart, I promise."

Reaching for her key, Mae unlocked the door and opened it. When the door had fully opened, that was when Mae _and_ Mackenzie noticed a relatively tall man—dressed mostly in black—standing in the center of the apartment's living room. The man's head turned slightly when he'd heard the door open.

Quickly looking around, Mae stepped inside and closed the door behind her. Her expression was stony, her grip on Mackenzie tightened. "Who are you?" she exclaimed.

The man turned and looked at Mae with an arched brow. He was a bald African American man with an eyepatch covering one of his eyes. While the man held a passive expression on his face, there was an air to him that Mae didn't like.

"Billie Mae Gonzalez," he said coolly. "But, I take it there's something about that name you. . . .may not like."

A shiver ran up Mae's spine; one similar to rekindled fury. "Who are you?" she hissed, emphasizing each word.

"My advice to you, _Mae_ , would be to put your daughter somewhere else so we can talk." The man's good eye went to Mackenzie for a moment before glancing back at Mae. The suggestion seemed to be for the best, but Mae didn't like the idea of being separated from her daughter. If the man had anyone else stationed in the house, there'd be a possibility that Mae wouldn't be there to protect Mackenzie. Sending out a wave of energy, Mae couldn't detect anyone else. But that didn't mean there wasn't.

"You could have others nearby," Mae said slowly. Mae could feel Mackenzie's hands gripping her tightly. "I'm not taking any risks."

"I understand your concern," the man said, "but this is important. I need your full concentration."

Keeping the energy flowing around the apartment, Mae kept her gaze locked with the man's. She walked over to the kitchen, placing Mackenzie in her highchair. Opening one of the cabinets, Mae pulled out a small plastic bowl and filled it with one of Mackenzie's favorite snacks before grabbing a few of Mackenzie's favorite toys and placing them next to the bowl.

"Mama will be right back, OK?" she whispered, gently stroking Mackenzie's red hair. With a nod from her daughter, Mae kissed Mackenzie's forehead before going back to the living room. The man had been watching the scene unfold.

"You're a good mother," he stated.

"I try." Crossing her arms over her chest, Mae looked at the man coldly. "Why are you in my home? How do you know who I am?"

"You're well-known where I'm from, Ms. Gonzalez," he replied. "You've done a good job at keeping a low profile. But we still managed to keep a close eye on you."

Mae's blood was boiling at that point—both at the man calling her by her old name and by the thought that others had been _watching_ her and Mackenzie. "Why?" she said. "Are you working for _them_?"

The man shook his head. "H.Y.D.R.A. is a separate division from us," he said. "They're more of a terrorist organization." Before Mae could open her mouth, the man spoke again. "I know you have questions, I'll get to them."

"You'd better start now, then," Mae hissed.

"I'm part of an organization called S.H.I.E.L.D.," he said.

" _S.H.I.E.L.D._?"

"The Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division," the man said, as if he'd said it a million times before. "We offer global security. Everything H.Y.D.R.A. doesn't want."

"Global security, huh?" Mae scoffed. "What good is your little group then? There's never gonna _be_ global security. Humans are destined to be vicious and selfish creatures."

The man nodded. "That may very well be true," he said. "But that doesn't mean we can't protect ourselves and everything around us. Ms. Gonzalez, I know you've had a dark past with humanity. After everything you've been exposed to—what you had to endure—is terrible."

Mae snorted. "You have no idea," she muttered.

"Some of my best agents were able to pull up whatever remaining files about you remained in H.Y.D.R.A.'s database." The man folded his hands behind his back. "You're an impressive woman."

"Your flattery isn't going to get you anywhere."

"But you have to admit, it is very interesting," he said. "The child of an Inhuman and a mutant, is what your file says."

Mae's gaze lowered. "I'm aware," she muttered.

"H.Y.D.R.A. thought that you wouldn't develop any abilities," he went on, "believing that the Inhuman genes and the mutant genes cancelled each other out, making you human." He shrugged. "They proved that theory wrong."

"What do you want from me?" Mae snarled. She was trying her hardest to keep herself under control, not wanting to do any kind of physical damage.

"I'm putting together a team I think can do some good," he said. "I believe you'd make a great addition."

"You're out of your mind."

Shrugging, the man looked like he could've cared less. "Possibly," he replied. "But the world's in danger, Ms. Gonzalez. We need heroes."

"The world's _always_ in danger."

"And shouldn't there be someone to stop that?" he pressed, but not sounding at all desperate. "What about your daughter? If an evil force rained their arsenal on the world, who would you want to stop them?" The man walked over to where Mae stood. "Ms. Gonzalez, I want to talk to you about the Avengers Initiative."

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Was there any confusion in this chapter? If so, let me know—review or PM me** **—and I'll try and clear it up the best I can. Other than that, let me know what you thought of this chapter.**

 **MCU isn't mine.**

 **Mae's met Fury; there's been a little bit more about her past being revealed! What do you think of the whole Inhuman/mutant thing Mae's got? I know that Inhumans are pretty much unheard of this early in the MCU, so. . . .please don't be upset by this! Also, for those of you who're fans of** _ **Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.**_ **—who've probably gained a bit of knowledge on Inhumans** **—and for those of you who're fans of MARVEL comics and have gotten to the part where Inhumans are introduced, then please don't be upset by this whole scenario I've got with Mae. I have very little knowledge when it comes to the whole Inhuman thing. I haven't watched _Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D._ and I have not read any MARVEL comics. So if there's anything I write in this story that you may find inaccurate in any way, let me know. Just. . . .don't get all pissy about it for whatever reason; I'm inexperienced in that area of the fandom.**

 **I digress.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	3. Chapter 3

_"What I always wanna tell young people now: Pay attention. This isn't gonna happen again. Rather than try and understand it as it's going along, have it go along for a while and then understand it."_ -Carrie Fisher

* * *

Mae listened as the man explained his 'Avengers Initiative'. She didn't interrupt, she just listened. The man seemed like he took that whole 'Initiative' seriously, and it made Mae wonder just how much danger the world was in. The man seemed intent that putting together—what he called—"remarkable individuals" would be enough to help protect the world from the dangers most people wouldn't be able to do themselves. Even though Mae didn't once interrupt, she thought that the idea was a pipe dream.

When the explanation had finished, the two were silent. The man looked at Mae intently, as if waiting for her to say or do something. Instead, Mae turned her head to look back at Mackenzie. Mae's daughter was still eating her snack; taking her time and completely oblivious to what was going on. Mae's stomach knotted up.

"This doesn't sound like the thing for me," Mae said, looking back at the man. "I haven't done a single good thing in my life."

"If you won't do it for yourself, do it for your daughter." The man nodded to the four-year-old in the highchair. "At least give _her_ a better chance for a good future."

Walking to the front door, the man stopped for a moment before turning to look back at Mae. "We'll be in touch," he said.

Then he left.

 **. . . .**

Despite Mae's earlier plans of leaving Georgia, she just couldn't. The four years that had gone by since she'd left the H.Y.D.R.A. compound, Mae was convinced she had been living under the radar, having that secrecy she so desperately wanted. That hadn't been the case.

Mae hadn't the slightest idea what S.H.I.E.L.D. or H.Y.D.R.A. were—despite the vague explanation on them—so how was she supposed to feel knowing that she'd been watched by the former the entire time?

S.H.I.E.L.D. had been keeping a close eye on her and Mackenzie, which was the most unsettling—most infuriating—feeling ever.

It had taken an hour since the man left for Mae to collect her thoughts. She had questions that she didn't even know she wanted answered until the man had left. Then, once she had a moment to at least get some of her thoughts in order, she managed to do whatever remedial tasks there were to do around the apartment. She cleaned, she organized, she spent time with Mackenzie—anything to keep herself distracted. By the time Mae had put Mackenzie down for the night, that gave Mae a real opportunity to think over everything.

That 'Avengers Initiative'. . . . it was something to really think about. Bringing together some of the world's greatest individuals in order to protect the planet from powerful enemies. It seemed impossible, thinking that the strongest individuals on the planet could be so easily selected to go play superhero. The world was _filled_ with strong people. Not all of them needed to be enhanced individuals. What if one of them decided they didn't _want_ to be the good guy anymore? People were unpredictable, even the so-called _good_ ones. While the idea couldn't be comprehended by others, the thought of a superhero turning evil could possibly happen. That was something that seemed to be crossing Mae's mind a lot.

Then there was the fact that _S.H.I.E.L.D._ knew every little detail about Mae's life. They knew about her parents, about being at the compound, probably what she _did_ to the compound. Mae did what she had to do. It took one helluva strain, but it was worth it. Mae was only three months pregnant when she escaped the compound, only nineteen-years-old. Mae did what she had to do for herself and her baby. The one thing Mae did learn about her breakout, was that while she earned her freedom, she almost lost Mackenzie. Using her abilities to that extent put more strain on her body—and the fetus—than she thought possible. The doctors and scientists at the compound wanted Mae to use her abilities at a bare minimum. She understood why after that. Mackenzie was the only good thing that happened in Mae's life, despite the way she had been conceived.

Lastly, there was the whole. . . .knowing what Mae's parents were scenario. The man with the eyepatch knew that Mae's parents were an Inhuman and a mutant. During her eight years at the compound, Mae had little to no understanding on what either of those words meant. She simply thought that all people had extraordinary abilities like her parents. Then when the doctors considered Mae's parents obsolete—that exact word had been used—they went away. Mae never saw them again, but she had a feeling on what happened. The scientists and doctors _had_ been worried that Mae was a human. They injected her, exposed her to weird mists—then her abilities began to show. For a majority of Mae's stay at the compound, she was either called "hybrid" or "Gonzalez". Gonzalez seemed to stick more than "hybrid". After escaping, Mae chose a new name for herself—Billie Mae—and made sure to keep Gonzalez—whom she decided was a completely separate being from herself.

Mae made sure _Gonzalez_ was pushed into the far recesses of her subconscious, not to be seen or heard. Though that didn't mean there wasn't any kind of struggle for escape. The energy Mae had was used to make a barrier strong enough to keep Gonzalez at bay.

Did S.H.I.E.L.D. know that, too? That Mae had to keep a separate part of herself—if she'd even go as far as to say _that_ —in restraints so she wouldn't go on a murderous rampage? If they did, then not only were they completely thorough in their research, but that meant that they were _really_ _thorough_ in their research. That was terrifying. They probably knew things about Mae that she didn't even know herself. Did S.H.I.E.L.D. have some kind of information gathered on Mackenzie? What could they _possibly_ gather on a four-year-old? Mackenzie wasn't a mutant or an Inhuman—as far as Mae was concerned—so it wasn't like she was going on some kind of. . . . _rampage_ or anything.

Sighing, Mae buried her face in her hands. What was she supposed to do?

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **It took a bit for me to put this chapter up, but here it is! Was it good? Was it bad? Was it meh? Let me know, OK?**

 **Do I own anything in MCU? No. No I don't.**

 **Do you have any kind of subplot or OC you'd like to have added into the story? Leave a review or PM me. Having reviewers help in a story's development is super important. That's my opinion, at least.**

 **Is there any confusion on this chapter? Is there any confusion on earlier chapters? Let me know and I'll try and clear it up the best I can.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	4. Chapter 4

_"Hush, little baby, drink your spoiled milk,_

 _I'm fucking crazy need my prescription filled,_

 _Do you like my cookies? They're made just for you,_

 _A little bit of sugar, but lots of poison, too...,"_

 **~Milk and Cookies** ; by Melanie Martinez

* * *

Time seemed to drawl on in a manner Mae didn't like at all. Since Mae had erased any memory of herself from her job and Mackenzie's daycare, they were both out of luck. Of all the times for her to act impulsively. . . .

"Mama, I thought you had work today?" Mackenzie looked up at her mother in confusion. "Aren't you gonna get in trouble?"

Looking down at her daughter, who was sitting comfortably beside her on the sofa, Mae saw the expression on her daughter's face and sighed. "Mama quit her job, Mac."

Hearing Mackenzie gasp, Mae had to repress herself from rolling her eyes. She wasn't mad at her daughter or anything, it was just Mackenzie knew how to be a bit dramatic at times.

"Why'd you quit your job, Mama?" she exclaimed.

"Sometimes things don't always work out the way they're supposed to." Mae looked at Mackenzie with the utmost seriousness. "People quit their jobs to go do something better."

"Is that why that weird man was here?"

It had been some kind of secret agreement between the mother and child that they wouldn't speak of the unsettling man who broke into their apartment. Knowing someone like him could easily break into her home—not to mention find out _extremely_ personal information on Mae and her daughter—was enough to send chills up Mae's spine. Mackenzie seemed too young to understand the intensity of the man's presence.

"Something like that." A silence fell between them. " _If_ I do take that guy's offer, you'll have to stay somewhere else for a little while."

A look of dread filled Mackenzie's features. The two of them were always together, and the thought of them being separated for possibly long periods of time was terrifying. _Especially_ for Mackenzie.

"Hey, don't give me that look, OK?" Mae gently hugged her daughter close to her. "I'm not leaving you. If I take the offer, I'll need some time to do some training."

"But you're coming back, right?" Mackenzie asked, her voice trembling.

"Of _course_ I'll come back," she said. "You're my bestest pal, Mac. Right?"

Sniffling, Mackenzie nodded.

"Good."

 **. . . .**

When Mackenzie had been put down for a nap, Mae sat outside her daughter's bedroom, her back pressed against the wall. Their earlier conversation still hung heavily in Mae's mind. What the man had talked about in his special Initiative, saving the world from enormous threats didn't sound easy. If anything, it sounded far more dangerous than Mae was willing to give him credit for.

What kinds of threats did he mean, though? Like. . . . _extreme_ terrorism? Something like that didn't really seem like the kind of job for Mae and a bunch of other "remarkable individuals", as was mentioned. If it was terrorism, shouldn't it be handled by law enforcement?

 _But he said that it was threats that couldn't be dealt with by ordinary people._ Biting her bottom lip, Mae brought her knees up, hugging them close to her. Potentially having the safety of billions of people was overwhelming. It was too much. If that guy had really looked thoroughly into Mae's past, then he'd have to know just how bad her past really was. There was nothing good or of value in her younger years. Having spent so much of her time in that _H.Y.D.R.A._ facility turned her into a completely different person. Mae wasn't the person she wanted to be, and that infuriated her the most. Having been experimented on as often as she had made her into a monster. Wasn't Gonzalez enough proof of that?

Peaking into Mackenzie's room, Mae felt like a huge chunk of lead just dropped into the furthest pits of her stomach. It had been the idea of the scientists and doctors that Mackenzie be conceived. That was one of Mae's biggest regrets, the circumstances of her daughter's conception. While Mae loved her daughter with ever fiber of her being, whenever she thought about it, it made her stomach lurch. Mackenzie was Mae's miracle baby, but she had been H.Y.D.R.A.'s _test_ baby. From what Mae had gathered, the scientists wanted to create some kind of mega-human. The Inhuman-mutant hybrid reproducing with another of their experiments—and he was a strong one at that—what could possibly go wrong? Fortunately—and, possibly, _un_ fortunately—once Mae had been shown to be pregnant, she never heard from the other experiment again.

She'd tried digging through his subconscious, trying to find something about him, but there was hardly anything to get. The man knew absolutely nothing about himself.

But, after three months of prepping and planning, Mae escaped. Mackenzie was born healthy and beautiful. The day Mackenzie had been born, Mae had promised herself that her daughter would receive the most _human_ lifestyle possible. No worrying about what horrors may await her. Mackenzie's future would hold worry about boys and prom and clothes.

Everything Mae didn't get to experience.

Maybe the man was right. Mae didn't want to save the world for her benefit. What had the world ever done for _her_? But Mackenzie. . . .Mackenzie didn't ask to be born, she didn't ask to be involved in any kind of psychotic schemes by terroristic corporations or enemies of a higher power.

In that moment, Mae silently decided she'd accept the man's Initiative offer. For Mackenzie.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **How was this chapter? There were a few hints in here on who Mackenzie's father might be, along with some hints on what H.Y.D.R.A. wanted to do with her. Was that good or bleh? Let me know what you think, OK?**

 **MCU isn't mine.**

 **As a reminder to all you amazing people, I started my winter quarter today, so there is a possibility I may not update as often as I am. Not that I'm updating all the time anyway, I'm just letting you guys know. Thankfully, I don't have classes on Fridays this quarter, so there's a chance I might make Fridays my update days. Does that sound good?***

 **If you've got ideas for OCs or subplots you'd like to have added to the story, don't hesitate to review or PM me, OK? I like it when reviewers contribute to the story, it makes everything a lot more interesting.**

 **Let me know if there's any confusion.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	5. Chapter 5

_"I got my ticket for the long way 'round,_

 _Two bottle 'a whiskey for the way,_

 _And I sure would like some sweet company,_

 _And I'm leaving tomorrow, whaddya say?"_

-Cup Song; **by Anna Kendrick _(Pitch Perfect)_**

* * *

The energy flowed around the room, easily being manipulated by Mae's commands. Since the day Mae decided she'd consider the man's offer on protecting the world, she had started training like crazy. Mae wanted to ensure she at least had _some_ improvement in her abilities, should the man decide to come back. A scowl came across Mae's face at the thought. Knowing there was a possibility the man would come back sent a wave of fury through Mae's body. Feeling a sharp spike in the energy, Mae tried calming herself down.

Taking a deep breath, Mae brought her hands together, feeling the energy grow in tension, before she brought her hands out. The energy exploded around Mae, anything nearby was destroyed.

Slowly, Mae took a moment to calm herself down. She'd gone a little overboard on that one. That was a little too. . . .destructive, in her opinion.

Sighing, Mae rubbed her face in frustration. She didn't like all the practice she was doing; it wore her out mentally and emotionally. It didn't take as much of a physical toll on Mae, which she was grateful for, but there was still a hint of exhaustion lingering there.

Looking around, Mae took in the destruction before her. She was far outside of town, in a building long abandoned. She was using the building as a training ground, hoping to hone her skills a little better. Before Mae had started practicing, she had been aware of that the building had been falling apart in certain areas, that was why, even though she did do a lot of training inside, she also did her fair share of training _out_ side. _After_ Mae started training, the building looked even worse than before. Walls had been destroyed; the old wooden floors had been destroyed; the moldy furniture pretty much disintegrated from the impact of Mae's abilities. Anything that had been within reach of Mae's energy had not been spared.

Thankfully, though, since Mae was able to do a little training, that also meant she could send Mackenzie to an old friend's until she came back. The _old friend_ was a woman named Nicole Walsh. Nicole had been Mae's first friend after she escaped the compound, the only person who managed to convince Mae that she wasn't going to hurt her or her unborn child. There had been countless other people who tried helping Mae after her escape, but in her state of mind, she wasn't willing to listen to any of them. But for some unknown reason, Nicole seemed to get through to her. Nicole had been there for the progression of Mae's pregnancy, for Mackenzie's birth, and even though she couldn't always be there for Mae and her daughter, Nicole tried to help out whenever she was needed.

So, when Mae had called in, asking if Nicole could come down and watch Mackenzie for a couple hours, Nicole didn't hesitate to do so. Nicole _adored_ Mackenzie, she treated the four-year-old as if she were her own daughter. The good thing was that Nicole only lived half an hour away from Mae's apartment.

That was one reason why Mae respected Nicole so much.

Letting out another sigh, Mae decided to call it a day.

 **. . . .**

"Hey, guys, I'm home." When Mae made it back to her apartment, Nicole and Mackenzie were sitting on the sofa watching television. For the most part, nothing looked too out of place. The moment Mackenzie saw her mother, she jumped off the sofa and ran as quickly as possible to give her mother the biggest hug ever.

"Mama, I missed you!" Mackenzie cried.

"I missed you too, squirt!" Picking her daughter up, Mae gave her a tight hug.

"Billie, you had a call earlier." Nicole's tone was curious but also a little concerned.

"Did you answer?"

Nodding, Nicole stood up. "It was a man," she said. "He wouldn't tell me what he was calling for, only that in involved you. Is there something going on?"

Feeling an uneasiness wash over her, Mae tried for her best smile. "Just someone I met recently," she responded. "He's offering me a new job."

"You lost your job?" The disbelief in Nicole's voice made Mae tense slightly.

"I didn't lose my job, I quit." Shrugging nonchalantly, Mae carefully put her daughter down. "It wasn't working out for me."

Nicole's brows furrowed. "It looked like it was working out just fine in the past," she said.

"There were some complications," Mae said. "I didn't really like working there as much as I used to. Don't worry, though, I have good thoughts about this one."

"I don't know, Billie," Nicole said, her tone slow and uncertain. "The guy didn't really sound all that friendly. I hope you're not doing anything risky."

Smiling, Mae shook her head. "I'm not, I promise."

Looking at her carefully, Nicole nodded slowly. "I hope you're tell the truth."

Giving a brief hug, Nicole left without another word.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **I know this chapter is short, but I hope you guys found some kind of enjoyment in it. If there was any confusion on anything, don't hesitate to let me know, OK?**

 **MCU isn't mine.**

 **If you've got ideas for subplots or OCs, don't hesitate to review or leave a PM! I love knowing what you guys want to have added to the story. That's something I think is really important in my stories.**

 **Since I started school just a couple days ago, Fridays are probably the best days for me to update since I don't have classes. I may not be able to update every Friday, but I will be able to update most Fridays.**

 **Remember to let me know if there's any confusion.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	6. Chapter 6

_"My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style."_ -Maya Angelou

* * *

A week had passed, but for Mae, it felt like a month. After Nicole's announcement that Mae had actually been _contacted_ by these people, it made her blood run cold then boil. Mae felt anxious, uncertain, and even a little frightened. What was she supposed to expect? In the week that slowly rolled by, Mae hadn't received any kind of phone call from _any_ one. _Maybe_ she'd get a call from Nicole every once in a while, but that was rare on its own. Despite their friendship, the two women hardly kept in contact if they could help it.

So after Mae had finished another round of training, she hadn't expected anything too out of the ordinary when she made it to her apartment. But, apparently, hoping for that was just too much to ask for.

Once Mae had opened her apartment door, she was expecting to see Nicole with her daughter, maybe watching a movie or playing a game. It hadn't been uncommon to see them doing that. Instead, Mae came in to see a middle aged white man, in a sharp black suit, sitting on her sofa. Next to Mackenzie. In that moment, Mae's world froze. She wouldn't have been able to tell anyone if she'd blinked or not, that was how still it felt for her. Taking in the sight before her, Mae's reaction was a bit delayed, but still quick enough nonetheless. Shooting out enough energy to just engulf the man, Mae allowed the fury she had at seeing him in her house, next to her _daughter_ , overtake her. The man's body stiffened when the energy surrounded him. Mackenzie looked up at him quizzically before her gaze went to her mother's.

"Mama!" she exclaimed. Jumping off the sofa, Mackenzie went over to Mae as quickly as she could, embracing her mother's legs. "Missed you!"

"Mackenzie, who's this man?" Mae tried keeping her voice as calm as possible, hoping she wasn't frightening her daughter.

"He said his name is Phil!" Mackenzie glanced back at him, still sitting stiffly on the sofa. "He told Aunt Nikki she could go home. He said _you_ called him."

Mae's fury intensified. "Mackenzie, go to your room and lock your door, OK?"

"Why?"

"Don't argue with me, OK?" Mae looked at her daughter, still maintaining a steady stream of energy the man's way. "Go to your room and lock the door."

Despite only being four-years-old, Mackenzie was a smart girl, at least in Mae's opinion. Mackenzie could pick up on when her mother was being serious, knowing when situations were bad. That didn't mean Mackenzie didn't act like the typical four-year-old, but she was more aware than at least a majority of kids her age.

Letting go of her mother's legs, Mackenzie went into her room. When the click of Mackenzie's door being locked could be heard, Mae partially released the energy surrounding the man's head. Storming over to him, Mae glowered down at him. The look on his face was calm, as if he expected something like that to happen. Like he'd seen it before.

"It's nice to meet you, Ms. Gonzalez," he replied.

"That's not my name," she snapped.

"That's what it said on your file."

"Then change it." He simply smiled. He didn't even look bothered. "Why're you in my house?"

"We tried contacting you, but you weren't available."

"So you break into my house?" Mae snapped. "Where's Nicole? Why are you here?"

"Don't worry about your friend," he responded. "She's safe."

"Prove it."

"Nicole Walsh was personally escorted back to her home."

Getting her cell phone, Mae dialed Nicole's number. It rang three times before she answered. _"Billie?"_ she said, sounding almost as worried and confused as Mae expected. _"What the hell! What is going on?!"_

"I don't know," Mae murmured, glaring at the man. "I'm going to find out."

 _"I was hoping to get Mackenzie out of there, but they wouldn't let me leave with her."_

"Don't worry about it, OK? I'll settle it."

 _"I don't know what kind of crap you're getting yourself into, Billie,"_ Nicole hissed, _"but I don't want Mackenzie in that kind of environment. You're putting her in danger. These men. . . .I don't know who they are. . . ."_

"Nikki, I said I'd handle it," Mae muttered. "Don't worry about anything. I'll figure it out."

"I told you she's fine," the man said, once Mae hung up the phone.

"That doesn't excuse you on coming into my house," Mae snapped, her glare intensifying. "You've got two minutes to give me an answer."

"I was sent by Director Fury to retrieve you."

"Who's _Director Fury_?" Mae exclaimed.

"You've met him. He's got the eyepatch."

A dreaded feeling came over Mae, causing her to swallow thickly. "You said he wants to _retrieve_ me?" she grumbled.

"For the Avengers Initiative." Mae's lips pursed. "There's been a few problems recently."

"If Fury wanted me to show up so badly, why didn't he get me himself?"

"He's busy."

" _That's_ helpful."

"That's about as helpful as I can be at the moment." The man smiled again at her, as if he wasn't at all bothered by their predicament. "But I _am_ on a tight schedule," he added, "so it'd be helpful to get out of this."

"You sent away my daughter's babysitter." Mae crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm not leaving until she's back."

"That can be arranged."

"Good." Dialing Nicole again, Mae waited for her to answer. After the third dial again, a sense of relief washed over her at hearing her friend's voice. "Nikki, I need you to come back."

 _"Did something happen?"_ There was a franticness in Nicole's voice. _"Billie, what happened?"_

"Nothing happened," Mae said, continuing to eye the man, Phil, carefully. "I just need you to watch Mackenzie for me."

There was a moment's pause on the other end. _"Billie, please,"_ Nicole murmured. _"I'm worried about you and Mackenzie. Why won't you tell me anything?"_

"I will later," Mae sighed.

That seemed to be enough, for the moment, to convince Nicole to come by and watch Mackenzie; but Mae refused to leave her apartment until Nicole arrived. Whether or not _Phil_ was frustrated by the request didn't matter in Mae's opinion. Nicole's and Mackenzie's safety was more important than her own. When the half hour passed and a knock came from the other side of Mae's door, she was relieved when she saw Nicole on the other end.

The look on Mae's friend's face would've made a shiver of fear run up Mae's spine, but at that moment, the deathly look on Nicole's face was the least of Mae's worries.

"I know this is confusing and it's scary," Mae murmured, leaning in to talk quietly to her friend, "but this is part of the new job I was telling you about. OK? Please don't freak out."

"That's the thing, Billie," Nicole hissed, "I'm _already_ freaking out."

Nodding, Mae ran a hand through her hair. "That's understandable." Swallowing thickly, Mae tried for a smile. "I don't know how long this'll take, but I promise I'll be back. How does that sound?"

"If that was supposed to be comforting, it wasn't."

"It's the best I can offer right now."

Rolling her eyes, Nicole scowled at Mae. "I'm holding you to that promise, OK?" she grumbled. "Mackenzie needs her mother."

"I'll always come back for her."

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Sorry for the delay on this chapter, but here it is! I know I said I'd update more or less on Fridays, but there may be an occasional update here or there, depending on if I have the day off from work. Other than that, at least count on a majority of the future updates being on Fridays _(not every single Friday, but at least a good portion)_. Schedules aside, just let me know what you thought of the chapter, OK?**

 **I own nothing in the MCU.**

 **If you've got ideas for a subplot or an OC, leave a review or PM me!**

 **Let me know if there's anything that's confusing.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	7. Chapter 7

_"Peace under an illusion is not true peace. It's only meaningful if the real world manages to accomplish it."_ -Gaara; **Naruto Shippuden**

* * *

Despite Mae's reluctance to go with Phil, whom she unfroze once Nicole was safely in Mackenzie's room, she knew she'd have to go with him. Mae gave Nicole all the phone numbers that would be needed in cases of emergencies, though Nicole was quick to remind Mae that she understood what needed to be done.

"I'll take care of Mac," she'd stated. "But I'm holding you to your promise. You'd better come back, understand?"

Nicole's voice was firm and sharp, leaving no room for arguing. Mae nodded; she had no intentions of not returning to her daughter. Mackenzie had always been the light of Mae's life, the one thing that managed to keep Mae going throughout the years. Mae tried her damned hardest to give her only daughter the best life possible, one without worries or fears. The kind of life that Mae herself felt she had been robbed of. All those years under H.Y.D.R.A.'s rule made Mae overanalyze everything, making her quick to not trust others. Mackenzie didn't deserve that kind of life.

When Nicole had everything she needed—money, daycares that are accepting new children, the quickest routes to Nicole's job, etc.—Mae gave her daughter a tight hug before following Phil out her front door.

A black SUV was waiting in the parking lot, with two more right next to it. Phil opened the back door for Mae, in which she gave a mumbled thank you. Once Phil had himself settled in the passenger's seat, the driver—a sharply dressed man wearing sunglasses—started the car and pulled out. The other SUVs followed suit.

"What exactly am I going up against?" Mae asked, after a couple minutes of tense silence.

Phil turned, a hint of a smile on his face. The look made Mae's brows furrow, a deeply set frown appearing on her face. It made her wonder how the older man could be so nonchalant about whatever was going on. "Director Fury wanted you to read these," he said. "You'll be working with them, so read carefully." There was a stack of files in Phil's hands. Mae looked at the files for a moment before taking them.

 _This Fury guy did say he was gathering other people for this Initiative thing,_ she thought uncertainly.

Sighing, Mae opened the top file.

 **. . . .**

 _Anthony "Tony" Stark, otherwise known as the Iron Man. Billionaire, gained—or, more than likely, inherited—the family's fortune through his father because of the Stark family's success in weapons manufacturing. Genius inventor._

 _Bruce Banner, otherwise known as the Hulk. Formerly a scientist, Banner was exposed to lethal amounts of gamma radiation but somehow survived. The results of the gamma exposure left a horrendous side-effect on Banner's part, occurring whenever he was under any form of emotional distress._

 _Natasha Romanoff, otherwise known as the Black Widow. A former Russian spy, Romanoff was a skilled assassin and spy. One of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top agents._

 _Clint Barton, otherwise known as Hawkeye. Being a master marksman, Barton never misses a target. Barton's preferred weapon is a bow and arrow, and is known to "see better from a distance". Barton is also one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top agents._

 _Steve Rogers, otherwise known as Captain America. A renown WWII hero who had been discovered in the Arctic in an old WWII aircraft. Approximately frozen for at least seventy years. The first subject to be successful in the Super Soldier program._

 _And, lastly, Thor. Classified as a demigod/alien under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s species description. The only known wielder of Mjölnir, capable of controlling thunder and lightning._

Mae looked over the files of her teammates one last time, just to make sure she got them right. Her lips pursed. They weren't just "extraordinary individuals", they were super-humans. From the looks of it, maybe even extremely enhanced individuals. Would having all of them working together even be _safe_?

"So I'm expected to work with. . . . _them_?" Mae exclaimed, trying to stack the files as neatly as possible.

"They're the strongest people we could gather," Phil said. "Their abilities will help with what we're currently facing."

"And what's that exactly?"

Phil wordlessly took the files from Mae's hands before giving her another one, it didn't look as bulky as the profiles on her supposed teammates, which she wasn't sure was a good thing or a bad thing. Looking at Phil for a moment, Mae opened the file and looked at a picture of a glowing cube looking thing paperclipped to the top corner. Taking out the single sheet of paper that was inside the file, Mae read it over carefully.

 _The Tesseract, currently under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s supervision. Intense studying of the Tesseract shows that it is alien in origin, and capable of opening space bridges. Because of that ability, the threat of hostile entities coming through is extremely high. Gives off intense radiation and extreme heat._

"What's so important about this Tesseract?" Mae asked.

"It's been stolen by a hostile force," Phil explained. "Your job is to get it back as quickly as possible."

"That's it?"

"We'll try and fill you in once we're at our location."

Mae furrowed her brows. Could they _be_ more vague? If the fate of the world was really at risk, one would think they'd provide a little more information.

But, in all honesty, what did Mae really expect?

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **I know this chapter took a bit to put up, but I've been a little busy lately. School has been a bit overwhelming, so I've been trying to get as much of it done as I possible can. Anywho, just let me know what you think, OK? That's the important thing.**

 **MCU isn't mine. It never will be.**

 **If you've got ideas for subplots or OCs you'd like to see written into the story, don't hesitate to review or PM me.**

 **Let me know if there's anything that's confusing.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	8. Chapter 8

_"My drug dealer was a doctor, doctor,_

 _Had the plug from Big Pharma, Pharma,_

 _He said he would heal me, heal me,_

 _But he only gave me problems, problems...,"_

-Drug Dealer; **by Macklemore [feat. Ariana DeBoo]**

* * *

Mae had her hands on her lap, her fingers tapping her thighs unconsciously. She had to keep reminding herself the _only_ reason she was going to help Fury with his problem was because Mackenzie needed a way to stay safe. Mackenzie was Mae's entire world; the only thing that kept her going after leaving the compound. Mae had told herself on multiple occasions that, if she hadn't gotten pregnant, she probably would've ended up dying in that godforsaken place.

 _Getting pregnant was probably the only good thing that happened._

It had been true. Even though the thought of being pregnant so young, and in a facility as horrible as the one Mae was in, terrified her, Mae was willing to do whatever it took to ensure her child's safety. She wasn't going to wait until the baby was born to make an escape, that would be too risky. But her escape so early in the pregnancy was _also_ just as risky. But she managed to get out, and Mackenzie was born without any problems.

That had been something Mae was so thankful for. After coming close to having a miscarriage after leaving the compound, Mae was terrified at the thought of her child having some kind of disability, but the doctors and nurses said her baby was healthy and. . . .and Mae couldn't have been happier. Mae understood that even _if_ Mackenzie had some kind of disability, she would've loved her without a shadow of a doubt. It was just the thought of how she would be able to handle being a single mother to a disabled child while trying to provide a good living environment.

Nicole had always said that Mae was a strong young woman, being able to handle such hardships without complaining, without breaking down. But what Nicole didn't know was that being young, pregnant, and even homeless wasn't the worst thing that Mae had gone through. Nicole only knew what Mae was willing to tell her, anything else was kept under lock and key. Mae always valued her friendship with Nicole, Mae just didn't want her friend looking at her differently should she find out the truth.

 **. . . .**

Eventually, the SUVs stopped in front of a large, oddly shaped jet. Mae tried keeping herself as calm as possible. The back of the jet was opened, where two more suited men were standing on either side. Mae followed Phil and anyone else who'd come with them into the jet. Once they were all secured, Mae heard the engines turn on and the jet slowly lift off the ground.

Sitting anxiously in her seat, Mae tried distracting herself. She didn't have any windows to look out of, so she was stuck with just studying the interior of the jet. It looked like a militarized jet, only a little different at the same time. Was she supposed to be concerned about the layout of the jet? Probably not, but she found herself doing just that anyway.

A heaviness weighed in Mae's chest. It was an uncomfortable feeling. How were Nicole and Mackenzie doing? Was Mackenzie behaving? Was Nicole adjusting OK? It hadn't even been that long since Mae left and she was already feeling overwhelmed at the thought of her daughter and friend.

 _That's what happens when you accept an offer from a shady man with an eyepatch, right?_ a small voice in the back of her head whispered. _You've spent this long keeping under the radar, but you were quick to accept something you know nothing about. Seems a bit reckless, doesn't it?_

It _did_ seem reckless, but Mae had to do what she thought was right. If giving Mackenzie a safer world to live in was the only option Mae had to go with, then she'd go with it. Besides, she was working with other people, probably equally as unstable in some ways as her. It wasn't like if something went completely wrong, she'd be the one to blame for it, right?

 **. . . .**

On the Helicarrier, where Fury, Natasha, Steve, and Bruce were currently residing — aside from the countless S.H.I.E.L.D. soldiers and technicians that also resided on it — Fury was making sure everything was running smoothly. The _only_ reason the Helicarrier hadn't taken off was because Phil had been sent to recruit Billie, and once they were on-board, they'd be able to proceed with their mission. With the Tesseract lost, every moment that was wasted seemed to equal a lifetime. The possibilities of what would happen with the stolen alien item seemed endless, but each possibility seemed more dangerous than the last.

But, just because each moment that was spent waiting for Coulson seemed longer and longer, didn't mean Fury couldn't make sure everything would be in the best shape possible. He'd already gotten reports on the engines, they were still in good condition, nothing out of place. Every other part of the Helicarrier was in perfect shape. Every weapon, every cloaking device, every computer and database. It was reassuring.

Not only that, but Fury was content to know that the. . . . _containment_ units in case Bruce or Billie lost control were also functioning well. Though neither Bruce nor Billie knew of the containment units, it was just a back-up in case any means of physically calming them down didn't work. It was for the best interest of everyone on-board. The lives of the soldiers and technicians were on him, if anything happened, he'd have to deal with some kind of consequence.

Either way, Fury wanted to believe that the whole mission would run by smoothly. There'd be no issues in returning the Tesseract and Clint would be able to return to S.H.I.E.L.D. as well.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **This chapter was a bit choppy, but I was doing homework while trying to finish this up, so please bear with me on that. If there's anything you found confusing, don't hesitate to tell me and I'll clear it up the best I can, OK?**

 **Nothing in MCU belongs to me!**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	9. Chapter 9

_"People want to blame all of the world's problems on some single enemy they can fight; instead of a complex network of interrelated forces beyond anyone's control."_ -Pearl; **Steven Universe**

* * *

The ride to wherever the location was made Mae's stomach churn uncomfortably. She'd have to prepare herself — mentally and emotionally — for whatever she was bound to face. Phil had already given her enough information on her teammates to know who she'd be encountering, but, in a way, it didn't feel like _enough_ information. A bunch of files on who she was expected to work with just didn't seem acceptable. But who was Mae to complain? S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't seem like one to start openly start giving important data on the people on their radar.

 _If I were you, I'd start thinking up ways to escape if things go South,_ a voice in the back of her head whispered. _These guys may seem like they're some good vigilante group, but there's a chance they're no different than H.Y.D.R.A._

Part of Mae shivered at the thought of H.Y.D.R.A. Knowing the compound she lived in actually had a _name_ — even if it _had_ been for some big, bad organization — made her feel unsettled. It didn't feel _natural_ , knowing it had an actual name.

"You look tense." Phil's voice snapped Mae out of her thoughts and worries. He didn't sound judgmental, which Mae should have been grateful for, but she was in no mood at the moment.

"Is it that obvious?" The comment came out thick with sarcasm, and she couldn't help but answer like that.

"I take it you're not a fan of flying," Phil went on, ignoring the rudeness of the previous comment. "That's completely OK."

"I can handle flying," Mae responded. "I don't like going places I'm not familiar with."

"You won't have to worry about anything," Phil explained. "Your work with the others will help S.H.I.E.L.D. tremendously. The sooner the Tesseract is back in our custody, the better off we'll be."

Mae only hummed in response.

The Tesseract. The alien cuboid thing that was supposed to open a space bridge; how was that even possible? Despite Mae's reluctance to help, there were so many questions that they had left her feeling extremely curious.

How in the _world_ could anything get more confusing?

 **. . . .**

After what felt like a lifetime of flying, the jet finally landed. Without there being any _windows_ , Mae wasn't given the chance to see where exactly the jet landed. Once the engines were off and the back entrance opened, Mae reluctantly left, followed by some of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s agents and Phil. And, much to Mae's surprise — and delayed disbelief — the sight before her was _completely_ different than what she vaguely imagined it'd be. Mae had a vague idea that S.H.I.E.L.D.'s headquarters — if they trusted her enough to _take_ Mae to their headquarters — would be some big, elaborate building with all kinds of secret entrances. Instead, Mae was presented with a militarized ship. A very _large_ militarized ship.

Mae's eyes scanned the area — soldiers were running; agents were speed-walking; various types of military jets were stationed in different areas; a few satellites were poking out from certain areas.

"Miss Mae, if you'd follow me." Phil's voice came off as polite yet authoritative. Pursing her lips, Mae followed without argument. The one thing she appreciated was not being called Gonzalez. The duo went through a doorway leading to the inside of the ship, where even more soldiers and agents were located. All the agents were stationed at high-tech desks, typing in information, calling out demands or orders — it frazzled Mae's brain, seeing just how advanced the ship was.

"Coulson, you're finally here." An all-too familiar voice filled Mae's ears, making her heart momentarily skip a beat. More so out of irritation than anything. Turning, she saw the man with the eyepatch — Fury — approaching the two of them. "Mae, you decided to show up."

"Well," Mae said, trying to brush it off as no big deal, "I had other things in mind."

Fury nodded, a very subtle look of knowing in his eye. "I don't think you had the chance to officially meet some of your teammates," he said, casually changing the subject. "It'd be best to acquaint yourselves. It'll help things run smoothly."

Mae's gaze went over to where a very tall and muscular — though it was lean muscle, not the bulky kind — man stood, looking just as frazzled as Mae felt. Mae could see the boyishness in his expression, the subtle authoritative way he held himself, and the respectable way he dressed. There was no doubt in Mae's mind on who that man was. Then, not that far from Rogers, was a man who had to be a couple inches shorter than himself, who also didn't compare when it came to muscles. The shorter man had a head of dark, curly hair, anxious eyes hidden behind glasses, and an older face.

With a sigh, Mae made her way over. When she stopped in front of Steve, she gave him a tight smile. "I'm Mae," she said, holding a hand out. "I guess I'm going to be working with you guys."

A quick look came across Steve's face before he gave her a boyish smile, returning the gesture and shaking her hand. "Steve," he responded. "I have to say, your file was. . . ."

"Bad?" Mae suggested. An almost apologetic look came across Steve's face. "Don't think I don't have an idea on what they probably wrote on me. Did they say I was dangerous? A menace?"

"I wouldn't word it like that."

"They weren't completely off." Mae shrugged. "I've learned to control myself more, but I still have rare moments. I keep myself separate from the _really_ dangerous areas."

"What do you mean separate?" The shorter man, whom Mae remembered was Bruce, despite him not having introduced himself, looked at her curiously. Remembering what his file said, that he had some kind of horrendous side-effect of lethal gamma exposure, Mae couldn't help but feel surprised that it was possible for him to be alive. Then again, she had to wonder just how _horrendous_ the gamma radiation's side-effect was on him.

"Mental barriers," Mae responded, tapping her forehead as if to emphasize her point. "Keeps the super bad stuff away without hindering my powers."

"But. . . .you could still lose control?" Bruce asked slowly, his anxious eyes becoming more observant, more analytical. " _Turn_ into something else?"

The questions caught Mae off guard. She didn't think she'd be interrogated by someone she hardly knew on a persona she didn't particularly _like_. But she figured she might as well cooperate if they were going to get the Tesseract back as quickly as possible. "It's rare, but it _could_ happen," she answered. "Though I wouldn't say my body changes, it's all mental."

The analytical, observant look in Bruce's eyes stayed, but there was something else in there, something Mae couldn't really put a finger on. Was it understanding? Had the gamma radiation done something to make him lose control?

Hopefully she wouldn't get to find out.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **If this chapter was confusing, don't hesitate to let me know.**

 **I own nothing in MCU.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	10. Chapter 10

_"Nature made me a freak. Man made me a weapon. And God made it last too long."_ -Logan/"Wolverine"; **from Logan (2017)**

* * *

"I take it you're Dr. Banner," Mae said, looking at him closely. She held out her hand, hoping she sounded just a little respectful. In all honesty, she had never heard of him before. His file said he was some kind of scientist who worked on gamma radiation, but if his work was well known outside the science community, Mae didn't know. Keeping a low profile meant that she was more focused on keeping herself and her daughter out of harm's way, so she didn't always have the luxuries of keeping up with the latest news. Mae's concentration was on other things.

With a small, almost anxious smile, he shook her hand and nodded. "If you don't mind me asking, what exactly are you keeping at bay?" he asked, his voice sounding almost timid.

With a sigh of slight annoyance, but understanding in regards to his curiosity, Mae nodded slightly. "It's a split personality," she responded. "A more violent part of me that I have some difficulties keeping under control. The barriers keep her locked away, keep me in control of my body and my powers."

"You've got another personality living in you?" Steve's face looked almost confused, as if he hadn't quite heard what Mae had said.

"Yes. Like I said, she's extremely violent and she _has_ to be locked away. Sometimes there'll be little cracks and she'll show herself, but only for a second. I haven't had a problem with her in a long time."

The look that came across Steve's and Bruce's face almost made Mae feel ashamed, but she wasn't. Mae wasn't going to allow herself to feel a little self conscious over the petrified looks people she barely knew were giving her. Did she really want to worry about what others thought of her? Not really.

Sighing, Mae tried for a reassuring smile. "Listen, I'm OK," she said. "Everything's OK. You'd know if something was up."

"We'd like to think that, too." Fury's presence interrupted whatever comments or questions Steve and Bruce might have. It was a relief on Mae's part, since she wasn't one to really feel comfortable talking about the awful that came with her abilities. Fury's gaze went to Mae's for a moment before he nodded to the two men beside her. "Gentlemen," he said coolly. Before he could say anything else, Steve had taken out a ten dollar bill and handed it to Fury. Mae sat herself down at the large glass table near the back of where the S.H.I.E.L.D. workers were stationed, propping her legs up on the table. Steve had wandered off, but still staying close enough to hear whatever Fury had to say. "Doctor, thank you for coming," he said politely, shaking Bruce's hand.

"Thanks for asking nicely," Bruce responded. "So, uhm. . . .how long am I staying here?" There was no malice or irritation behind his words, just genuine curiosity.

"Once we get our hands on the Tesseract."

"Where are you with that?"

"We're sweeping every wirelessly accessible camera on the planet," Coulson added. "Cell phones, laptops — if it's connected to a satellite, it's eyes-and-ears for us."

"We're still not gonna find him in time," Natasha put in.

"You need to narrow your field," Bruce replied. "How many spectrometers do you have access to?"

"How many are there?" Fury asked.

"Call every lab you know," he informed. "Tell them to put the spectrometers on the roof and calibrate them for gamma rays. I'll rough out a tracking algorithm, cluster recognition. At least we could rule out a few places."

With a nod, Fury called Natasha to take Bruce to where he'd be working.

 **. . . .**

Twenty minutes later and no one had any idea where to find the Tesseract or where the enemy was. Bruce was still out and about, working on whatever he told Fury; Steve and Coulson were talking. That meant Mae, who was still sitting at the table, was left to herself, trying to keep herself busy by thinking — how was Mackenzie doing? Was she behaving? Was Nicole having a hard time with her? Mae couldn't help but feel worried on how her daughter and her friend were doing. Were more of those S.H.I.E.L.D. agents giving them a hard time? Was Mackenzie handling everything well?

Unconsciously, Mae started biting her fingernails. It was a habit Mae rarely did; it only showed up every once in a while when she found herself really overthinking things.

"We have a hit," someone called. "Sixty-seven percent match. Cross-match, seventy-nine percent match."

Coulson hurried over to look at the screen. "Location?"

"Stuttgart, Germany. He's not exactly hiding."

"Captain, Billie." Fury looked at Steve and Mae expectantly, his expression solemn but holding a bit of seriousness. Standing up from where she was sitting, Mae looked at Fury, a heaviness weighing down in her chest. Folding his hands behind his back, Fury straightened his shoulders ever-so-slightly. "You're up."

Mae and Steve shared a look, as if they were possibly having some sort of silent conversation. With nods given in Fury's direction, they were led by some of Fury's men to where they'd change out of their civilian clothes and into the proper fighting attire.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **This wasn't my best chapter, and it was probably a little too similar to the movie in some aspects, but hopefully you guys found some enjoyment in it. Also, I am aware that I took a bit too long in posting this. I don't need constant reminders whenever that happens. Just be patient, you guys know that any new chapters will be up sooner or later, right? Reminding me about the whole 'the previous chapter's up I think you made a mistake, etc., etc., etc.' thing is something I don't need. I hope that made sense.**

 **Do I own the MCU? No.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	11. Chapter 11

_"You need to understand, I will do anything to protect my family. I know you know what I'm talking about. So don't mess with me. Don't interfere with my business again. Because I will kill you and anyone you care about."_

-Adrian Toomes; **from Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)**

* * *

An uneasy feeling washed over Mae. What would happen once she and Steve were sent down? How much damage would already be done? Mae hadn't been sent out to _actually_ handle threats like that; since leaving the compound, Mae's dedication to give her daughter the most average life as possible was her only goal. This idea that things were more complicated than Mae could _possibly_ believe sent chills up her spine. It was like her world had expanded even further.

But this. . . . _Tesseract_ — how were Mae and Steve expected to get it back? If it was as powerful as its file had said, why hadn't it been properly protected? It didn't make any sense to Mae. All she wanted to do was go back home to her daughter, to explain everything to Nicole and have everything go back to the way it was before — easy and not so _complicated_.

A dreadful feeling washed over Mae at the thought of her daughter.

What would've happened if Mae refused to acknowledge the Avengers Initiative? She didn't think it sounded like a good idea; how could a bunch of overpowered individuals _hope_ to keep the world safe? The idea was good, but it felt like a pipe dream. But if there were no individuals willing to keep the world safe, then people like Mackenzie would be put in danger 24/7. If something like the Avengers Initiative hadn't been formed, as flawed as it seemed in Mae's eyes, then Mae would have to deal with the fact that her daughter would be in constant danger. Anyone from any remaining H.Y.D.R.A. bases could've easily found Mae and Mackenzie and done God knows what to either of them.

Giving her head a sharp shake, Mae tried shoving those over-analytical thoughts out of her head. She couldn't afford to be distracted; it wouldn't be doing anyone any good.

 **. . . .**

Mae's eyes were a bit wide as she looked at the outfit S.H.I.E.L.D. provided for her. Supposedly, they wanted her to switch out of her "civilian" clothes and into more. . . . _combat ready_ attire. That "combat" attire was a lot of tight looking leather, from the looks of it. Mae wasn't entire sure what to make of it, but she knew she had to change out of her normal outfit quickly, if they wanted to get the mission over and done with. Quickly pulling off her shirt and pants, Mae took out the white button-up shirt and put it on. Once _that_ was on, she threw on the leather corset that came with it. The corset itself curved down under her breasts and wrapped securely around her midsection, with thin straps going over her shoulders before she made sure it was nice and secure. The pants, on the other hand, were relatively fitting black jeans. Mae's brows furrowed at the attire.

 _Seems a little inappropriate to go fighting in,_ she thought. _But who am I to question them? Once this whole ordeal's finished, I can get out of this outfit._

Throwing on the shoes S.H.I.E.L.D. provided for her, Mae made her way out of the room and followed an agent who had been stationed outside her changing room.

The walk to wherever they were going was quiet, and Mae's nerves were buzzing with anticipation. She wanted to know what would happen once she and Steve landed. There'd be fighting, no doubt, but would anyone get _hurt_? Would they find the Tesseract, or was it hidden somewhere they couldn't find? Romanoff and plenty of other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were relatively confident that once they retrieved their target, they'd be able to retrieve the Cube. But would it really be that simple? Honestly they couldn't expect someone who seemed so violent and unpredictable to give up valuable information on the spot, right?

Feeling frustration bubble in the pit of her stomach, Mae internally chastised herself for overthinking again. She couldn't help it, though. With everything that was going on — with all this talk of otherworldly crap — how could Mae _not_ try and rationalize everything? All Mae wanted was for things to make sense. That wasn't too much to ask for, was it?

Before long, Mae and the agent stopped in front of one of those Quinjets; the same one she came in with Coulson. "Captain Rogers is already inside," the agent instructed. "Await further instructions once over the landing point." Without another word, the agent turned on his heels and left.

Swallowing thickly, Mae entered the Quinjet. Steve was already sitting on one of the seats on the far side of the Quinjet, sporting his Captain America attire, minus the helmet, which sat awkwardly beside him. Sitting directly across from him, Mae watched as the entry for the Quinjet closed and the engines rumbled to life.

"You're leaving in that?" Steve's voice snapped Mae out of her observing.

Looking down at her attire, Mae shrugged. "That's what they gave me," she responded. "Wouldn't have been _my_ first choice, trust me."

"The leather's specially made," Romanoff's voice came from the cockpit of the Quinjet. "It's bulletproof. Not to mention the outfit itself gives you plenty of room to do any fighting. I know it's an odd getup, but it's the best we could come up with, considering your powers."

Mae simply shrugged in response. It didn't matter if the outfit was specially made or not, it still seemed inappropriate in her mind. And it seemed like Steve thought the same way. But, like she told herself earlier, the sooner she and Steve had the situation under control, the sooner she could get back into her "civilian" clothes. And whatever happened next would be up to S.H.I.E.L.D.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Not my best chapter, but considering the amount of time I had to actually improve it — I apologize, by the way, for making you guys wait so long; I had so much homework and just** **work** **from my job that I completely forgot about this** **— I just couldn't find the time or motivation to do it. I started hitting a writer's block, so this is, unfortunately, the best I could come up with. Give constructive criticism where you think it's necessary.**

 **Nothing in MARVEL belongs to me.**

 **I know it's been a while since its release, but SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING is honestly one of my favorite MARVEL movies so far. I think this new SPIDEY actor did a fantastic job playing Peter, and I can't wait to see him in INFINITY WAR and whatever other MARVEL movies he'll be in next. Also, I know that I'm also a bit behind on this, but a SAN DIEGO COMIC CON panel showed the audience a trailer for AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR, and while the trailer hasn't been officially released on the interwebs _(there've been a few leaks here and there)_ , there is a description of all the clips and everything the audience saw.**

 **From what I understand, INFINITY WAR will be a lot more violent than previous movies, and considering the Avengers + Spidey and the Guardians will be fighting Thanos, that's understandable.**

 **Aside from that, a new THOR: RAGNAROK trailer has been released, and I have to say, this is the first THOR movie I'm excited to see. _(Plus Black Panther's going to be released in 2018, I believe, and I am even more excited to see that!)_**

 **I digress from my nerdy moment.**

 **Time to wrap up this author's note I guess.**

 **Like I mentioned before, leave constructive criticism where you think it's necessary. Tell me any ideas for subplots or OCs you have and I'll add it in as soon as possible.**

 **Be kind to one another, don't text and drive, and be sure to pet a cute animal today.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	12. Chapter 12

_"Maybe I'm foolish,_

 _Maybe I'm blind,_

 _Thinking I can see through this,_

 _And see what's behind,_

 _Got no way to prove it,_

 _So maybe I'm blind,_

 _But I'm only human after all...,"_

-Human; **by Rag'n'Bone Man**

* * *

The trip itself to Germany seemed to last a lifetime; while Mae wasn't entirely sure how far off Fury's ship was from the country, Mae had to wonder if it was pretty far off. Steve seemed to be sitting in a tense silence, his hands in front of his mouth as he thought deeply about something. Mae felt an uneasiness inside the deepest part of her gut. She was still uncertain on what to expect, how everything was going to go down. Mae would _love_ for the mission to go smoothly, but there were so many factors that seemed unpredictable that she couldn't help but feel the way she did.

Shifting a little in her seat, Mae tried to calm herself the best she could.

"You OK?" Steve's voice caused Mae to jump a little where she sat. She hadn't expected him to be paying any attention to her; he seemed to caught up in his own little world.

"Just a little nervous, I guess," she sighed. "Never really pictured myself doing anything like this."

A look came across Steve's face, one almost similar to sympathy. Steve was an experienced fighter, having been in WWII, killing Nazis and H.Y.D.R.A. agents had been the hallmark of his contribution in the war. But being in the modern age, where he's being forced _back_ into the fighting scene, it was both unsettling and comforting. Fighting bad guys was something he was familiar with; sticking up for the little guys, keeping everyone safe. Mae, on the other hand, from what Steve understood, had a violent history but no _actual_ history of being a soldier or a fighter. S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't give much to go on when it came to Mae, so Steve could very well feel sympathy for her, she was still a civilian. He was still a soldier, no matter how many years had gone by in his absence.

"Does it ever get easier?" she asked, looking at him with a hint of hesitance.

"No," he said. "In my experience, it only gets harder. But I think this is different."

"How do you think?"

"For one, there're no Nazis." A wry smile came across his face. "It's a completely different era from what I'm used to."

Mae nodded. "This all must be different, then," she murmured.

Steve shrugged. "I'd like to hope so," he sighed.

 **. . . .**

Mackenzie sat in her room, doodling on a piece of paper. Nicole had been watching over her for a while, and Mackenzie had to wonder why that was. All she knew was that her mother had gone off on something super important, some _big job_.* Nicole wouldn't give any specifics on what the job was, despite Mackenzie's questioning; and it made her feel a little sad. She _missed_ her mother, she missed being able to spend time with her and do fun things together! Not that Nicole wasn't fun, she just wasn't Mackenzie's mother.

Mac knew that her mother did the very best she could, that she wanted everything to be great, but if this new job was so important, then why did it require her to be away? Was it something dangerous? From the way she acted around the Coulson man and the guy with the eyepatch, it seemed like something Mackenzie _assumed_ to be dangerous. But maybe they were strangers, and Mackenzie should've known better than to think they'd be good.

Letting out a sigh, Mackenzie pouted a little. She hoped her mama would be home soon so they could feel like a family again.

 **. . . .**

Fiddling a little with her fingers, Mae found herself thinking deeply. How was Mackenzie doing? What about Nicole? It felt far too long since she saw or spoke to either of them; _especially_ Mackenzie. Her little girl. All Mae wanted was to be the best mother possible; to provide stability and love for her little girl. She didn't want Mackenzie growing up in the compound, in that kind of environment. Mae had to experience first hand what those H.Y.D.R.A. people were like. And no matter how much she hated having a name for the people responsible for _her_ , Mae did find some comfort knowing their organization had an identity. But she had to remind herself that whether she knew the name of who owned the compound or not, she was just a subject.

That was another thing. . . .H.Y.D.R.A.'s possibly unending supply of subjects. That had popped into her mind every now and again. How many experiments were being conducted on innocent people because of them? Mackenzie's father had obviously been one of those subjects, a man who couldn't even remember basic things about himself. H.Y.D.R.A. had rewired his entire brain. Needless to say, Mae wouldn't be surprised if he didn't know or remember about Mackenzie's existence. How long had he been with the H.Y.D.R.A.? Had he been like Mae, where it was more through force? Mae's parents had been part of an experimental study, what would be the outcome of an Inhuman breeding with a mutant. That word. . . . _breeding_. They were treated like animals. While Mae had been born outside of H.Y.D.R.A.'s compound, she was still treated like a subject.

Mae remembered how the scientists and doctors thought she was human, that the Inhuman genes and mutant genes cancelled each other out, so Mae would be unable to unlock any superhuman abilities. It wasn't until they exposed her to the Terrigen Mist that they were proven wrong. They looked at everything from a different angle, even going so far as to suggest genetic modification to unlock Mae's potential superhuman abilities. Because Inhumans' very existence was built upon genetic modification, it would be easy for Mae to be able to access any powers through some extra tweaking. But one scientist suggested the Terrigen Mist that they decided to see what would happen. H.Y.D.R.A. had, apparently, stolen a piece of the crystal in hopes of seeing what would happen with the Inhuman-mutant hybrids. Many of them died, seeing as their genetic make-up did cancel each other out and resulting in the children being human.

From what Mae understood, the crystals were fatal to humans.

In the end, Mae did turn out to be an Inhuman, having undergone Terrigenesis at a young age. Mae had been encompassed in a cocoon almost, and she stayed in there for a week straight. The scientists had to force her out of her cocoon. There had been no obvious physical changes to Mae when she got out, but she felt different. Her _mind_ felt different. Her body felt different. Mae could feel the flow of something around her, she could feel a strange sensation in her head, something she couldn't quite explain. Mae's mother, her Inhuman parent, had explained that she probably had the ability to manipulate energy, with the added abilities of telepathy and telekinesis. Though Mae's energy manipulation seemed to be stronger than her telepathy and telekinesis.

Over the years, even after the disappearance of her parents, Mae was forced to practice her abilities and to undergo various types of experimentation. Then came the day she was supposed to reproduce with H.Y.D.R.A.'s other subject. Mae remembered she never got his name, but he was obviously older than her. His hair was long, his eyes were bloodshot and a little hazy. He had one flesh arm and another that was a prosthetic. At the time, Mae didn't _entirely_ know that H.Y.D.R.A. was planning on creating a new weapon. She knew they were up to no good, she just couldn't figure it out.

The scientists made it clear she was to conceive a child in order to further her experiments. Whether the results would be successful or not would remain to be seen.

For Mae, that entire ordeal had been very unpleasant. She didn't want to be there, she didn't want to do what the scientists and doctors wanted. He seemed a little confused, a bit weary, but was more than willing to follow orders. It was unpleasant.

That had been the final straw, that was the moment Mae realized she needed to get out.

Her pregnancy only furthered her motivation.

"All right guys," Natasha called out, snapping Mae out of her thoughts. "We're over the location."

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **How'd you think this chapter went? You got a little more backstory for Mae, and did you think it was interesting or just meh? I don't know. Constructive criticism is always welcome! If you think a part of this chapter was weak in any way, don't hesitate to let me know, OK? I think that's important!**

 **Nothing in the MCU belongs to me. I don't understand why I keep adding these disclaimers in, honestly.**

 **Hopefully you guys figured out who Mackenzie's father is. And I revealed what Mae truly is! She's an Inhuman. I remember hearing about how, in some kind of MARVEL comic or whatever, on how Quicksilver/Pietro Maximoff had married an Inhuman and they had a kid together. I thought the idea was interesting and incorporated it into the story. So that main idea goes out to the MARVEL comic[s](?) that had that written in it.**

 **Anyway, that pretty much sums up what I have to say for now.**

 **Let me know if anything confused you.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	13. Chapter 13

_"I've found a rainbow, rainbow, baby,_

 _Trust me, I know, life is scary,_

 _But just put those colors on, girl,_

 _Come and play along with me tonight...,"_

-Rainbow; **by Kesha**

* * *

When the back of the Quinjet opened, Mae felt her stomach knot up. She stood up from where she sat, swallowing thickly as she hesitantly made her way to the opening. Steve, on the other hand, looked completely unbothered at walking over to the _very edge_ of the door. He had his shield and a helmet on, but no parachute on his back. Mae knew that the Quinjet had parachutes, and she had to wonder _why_ Steve wasn't wearing one; though she'd have to remind herself she was pretty close to the edge without on, as well.

"You're not taking a 'chute?" she announced, looking at him uncertainly.

"Don't need one," he said. "You?"

Looking down, seeing the bright lights and how high up the Quinjet was, Mae let out a sigh. "I guess it's too late to get one now," she muttered. "Let's just get this over with, OK?"

Mae swore she saw a slight smirk come across Steve's face before the two jumped out.

 **. . . .**

Having jumped out of the Quinjet had come as a close second of terrifying things Mae had done in her life. Terrifying but also reckless. Mae's focus was less on how Steve would manage to land without killing himself and more on how she'd be able to land without dying. Mae had started manipulating the energy around her, forming a kind of spherical shield to ensure when she landed, she wouldn't hurt anything. But Mae also had to figure out how she'd slow herself down so she wouldn't cause any damage.* Focusing her energy just enough, Mae tried willing it to slow her down the closer she got to the ground, and she wasn't entirely sure if it was working or not.

 _Please, please, please slow down,_ she thought anxiously. _I can't have myself getting hurt or killed before the mission's even started._

By the time Mae realized she was getting closer to the ground, she started manipulating the energy even more, and that was when she started to feel a bit of resistance, and by the time she officially landed, the shield of energy around Mae only managed a smallish dent on the concrete ground. That was also when Mae realized there was a horde of people running and screaming. The people were dressed nicely, as if they had been attending some kind of fancy event. That was when she realized they were coming from a big building, a banner on the front saying something in German. Pursing her lips, Mae started shoving her way through the crowds of people, hoping to get close enough to the building.

Police sirens were heard in the distance, faintly echoing over the shouts and screams of the terrified people.

Once she had at least made herself to the front steps of the building, that was when Mae saw him. He was tall; kinda lanky in Mae's opinion; wearing a strange outfit colored in green, black, and gold; plus a Scepter that glowed an eerie blue and a golden headpiece with long horns coming from the front. The man had black hair, from what Mae could see, and his skin was pale. He slammed the end of his Scepter on the ground, the blue coming from it brightening for a split second.

"Kneel!" he shouted. Mae turned and saw all the people looking up at him, huddled together as if they were cattle. They were glancing up at him, terrified and confused, before going on their knees. Mae refused to do so, looking up at him with a set jaw. There was something about him that reminded her of the doctors and scientists at the H.Y.D.R.A. compound — eager for power and control, demanding obedience through whatever means necessary. This oddly dressed man seemed to take great satisfaction in what he'd done to these people. It was like he fed off their fear. A smile came across his face, one that Mae didn't like in the slightest. From the looks of it, he didn't seem to notice her right away, just basking in what he'd accomplished so far. "Is this not simpler?" he announced, going down the steps to walk through the crowd. "Is this not your natural state? It's the unspoken truth of humanity, you crave subjugation..."

"Hey," Mae called out, interrupting his little speech. His head snapped in her direction, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Why don't you cut the crap and leave these people alone?"

A sneer came across his face as he pointed his Scepter in her direction. "You dare challenge me?" he claimed.

"I doubt you'd be much of a challenge." Mae made her way through the crowd, her eyes not leaving his for a second. "You're no different than any other asshole I've faced."

Snickering, he straightened his shoulders. "There are no _assholes_ like me," he commented, his tone dark.

"There are _always_ assholes like you."

Pointing his Scepter at Mae again, his face became stony and his eyes seemed to darken. "Look to this woman, people," he announced. "Let her be an example." Right as the Scepter started glowing, Mae threw her hands out and released enough energy to knock him back a few feet. There were some terrified screeches, but those were easily ignored. Right as he started getting himself back on his feet, that was when Steve arrived, standing next to Mae, looking at him with a nearly emotionless look on his face.

"Ya know," Steve announced, "the last time I was in Germany, and saw a man standing above everybody else, we ended up disagreeing."

"The soldier," came the snide reply. "The man out of time."

"I'm not the one who's out of time," Steve responded.

The Quinjet came into view, guns and missiles ready to fire. _"Loki,"_ Natasha called over the intercom, _"drop the weapon and stand down."_

A look similar to a snarl came across Loki's face at Natasha's command. Firing a blue beam of energy at the Quinjet, Mae quickly manipulated it so it veered in a different direction. Steve and Loki immediately started facing off, throwing punches and hits; Loki using his Scepter to knock Steve off his feet. Mae quickly knocked Loki off his feet again by throwing out energy at him, giving Steve an opportunity to regain himself. Before Loki even had a chance to get on his feet, Mae made sure to hold his body down with enough energy to immobilize him. She could see him straining against her powers, trying to move. Mae also made sure to keep enough energy around the Scepter so no beams would come out.

"Steve," she called, "take the Scepter."

Right as Steve was about to run over and grab Loki's Scepter, AC/DC started blaring on the Quinjet's radio. That brief distraction caused Mae's concentration to falter, which gave Loki enough of an opportunity to break free and try and attack. Before he could, however, Mae got the Scepter out of his reach right as a loud thud came from beside her. A man in a metal suit, looking directly at Loki as he got all his guns and miniature missiles out and ready to fire. "Make a move, reindeer games," came a masculine voice from inside the suit.

Loki looked between the three of them, his gaze calculating and unreadable. His face became solemn as he held his hands up in surrender. The headpiece vanished as a result, as did a few parts of his outfit.

The metal man's missiles and guns went away. "Good move," he responded.

"Mr. Stark," Steve said, nodding in acknowledgement.

"Captain," came the reply. "Who's she?"

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Sorry for the wait on this chapter. Hopefully it was at least decent. If you've got constructive criticism or whatever, don't hesitate to let me know, OK? That kind of thing is super important.**

 **Nothing in the MARVEL universe belongs to me. All I own are my OCs and any subplots I put into the story.**

 **If you've got an idea on OCs or subplots, be sure to PM me or leave a review. I'll try and add them in as quickly as possible.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


End file.
